Physiology of Behavior / Edition 11

by Neil R. Carlson

Overview

This edition introduces increased coverage of evolution and the human brain. Carlson's Seventh Edition of Physiology of Behavior continues its tradition as the most comprehensive, current, and teachable book for physiological psychology. This classic incorporates the latest discoveries in the rapidly changing fields of neuroscience and physiological psychology and offers the most comprehensive and integrative coverage of research and theory in contemporary behavioral neuroscience. Thoughtfully organized, it offers scholarly-yet-accessible coverage and effectively emphasizes the dynamic interaction between biology and behavior. Collaboration with a talented artist has provided beautiful, accurate, and informative full-color illustrations that further enhance the appeal to both students and professors alike. For anyone interested in physiological psychology or biological psychology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780205239399
Publisher:	Pearson
Publication date:	01/26/2012
Edition description:	Older Edition
Pages:	768
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Neil R. Carlson pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois. He had planned to study nuclear physics, but when he discovered in an introductory psychology course that psychology was really a science, he decided that was what he wanted to do. Before changing his major, Carlson talked with several professors and visited their laboratories, and when he saw what physiological psychologists do, he knew that he had found his niche. He stayed on at Illinois and received his Ph.D. Then, after a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Iowa, Carlson came to the University of Massachusetts, where he’s been ever since.

When he arrived at UMass, Carlson established a laboratory where he investigated the role of the limbic system in species-typical and learned behaviors, continuing work he had done at the University of Illinois. He received several Biomedical Research Support Grants and a research grant from NICHD. As he became more involved in textbook writing, Carlson began to focus his attention more and more on this activity and on his teaching.

Carlson took the opportunity afforded by his first sabbatical leave to write the first edition of Physiology of Behavior. He very much enjoyed the experience, and this endeavor taught him much more about behavioral neuroscience. He was gratified with the positive response of his students and of the colleagues who adopted the book. The pleasure provided by this response and by the enjoyment of keeping up with the literature and writing about it has kept him going for 12 editions. (He has no plans to stop writing.)

Carlson retired from UMass in the fall of 2004 but continues to keep up with developments in the field of behavioral neuroscience and to revise his book. The Psychology Department has kindly let him keep an office at the university, which makes it easier for him to continue interacting with his former colleagues.

Carlson’s interests outside of writing include spending time with his family, traveling, fly fishing, skiing, and flying his small airplane.


As an undergraduate psychology major at Cornell University, Melissa A. Birkett discovered courses in biopsychology, behavior, endocrinology, and evolutionary psychology. There, she was introduced to interdisciplinary research incorporating multiple perspectives in the challenging task of understanding behavior. She became interested in learning about behavior and its underlying mechanisms. She worked as an undergraduate research assistant in several laboratories on projects ranging from insect behavior to sleep in undergraduates. Those formative experiences and interactions with several influential research mentors convinced her to pursue a career in research.

Melissa completed her PhD in the Neuroscience and Behavior program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (where Neil Carlson was a faculty member at the time). While there, she received training in visual neuroscience and psychopharmacology. Her interest in neuroscience and behavior grew to encompass the importance of effective teaching and pedagogy and she concurrently earned a master’s degree in science education.

In 2007, she accepted a faculty position at Northern Arizona University in the Department of Psychological Sciences. Melissa currently conducts research related to the stress response and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and the teaching of psychology. Each semester, she supervises student researchers and seeks to provide them with the kinds of opportunities she found valuable as a student. Her work has been recognized with awards for both outstanding teaching and teaching innovation, and she has contributed to several publications on best practices in teaching neuroscience.

Melissa is excited for the opportunity to contribute to the twelfth edition of Physiology of Behavior and hopes that this text continues to engage new students, introducing them to this fascinating interdisciplinary field.

Table of Contents

Each section ends with "Suggested Readings" and "Suggested Websites."

1. Introduction.
Understanding Human Consciousness: A Physiological Approach.
The Nature of Physiological Psychology.
Natural Selection and Evolution.
Ethical Issues in Research with Animals.
Careers in Neuroscience.
Strategies for Learning.

2. Structure and Functions of Cells of the Nervous System.
Cells of the Nervous System.
Communication within a Neuron.
Communication between Neurons.

3. Structure of the Nervous System.
Basic Features of the Nervous System.
The Central Nervous System.
The Peripheral Nervous System.

4. Psychopharmacology.
Principles of Psychopharmacology.
Sites of Drug Action.
Neurotransmitters and Neuromodulators.

5. Methods and Strategies of Research.
Experimental Ablation.
Recording and Stimulating Neural Activity.
Neurochemical Methods.
Genetic Methods.

6. Vision.
The Stimulus.
Anatomy of the Visual System.
Coding of Visual Information in the Retina.
Analysis of Visual Information: Role of the Striate Cortex.
Analysis of Visual Information: Role of the Visual Association Cortex.

7. Audition, the Body Senses, and the Chemical Senses.
Audition.
Vestibular System.
Somatosenses.
Gustation.
Olfaction.

8. Control of Movement.
Muscles.
Reflex Control of Movement.
Control of Movement by the Brain.

9. Sleep and Biological Rhythms.
A Physiological and Behavioral Description.
Why Do We Sleep?
Physiological Mechanisms of Sleep and Waking.
Disorders of Sleep.
Biological Clocks.

10. Reproduction Behavior.
Sexual Development.
Hormonal Control of Sexual Behavior.
Neural Control of Sexual Behavior.
Parental Behavior.

11. Emotion.
Emotions as Response Patterns.
Expression and Recognition of Emotions.
Feelings of Emotions.
Aggressive Behavior.

12. Ingestive Behavior: Drinking.
The Nature of Physiological Regulatory Mechanisms.
Drinking and Salt Appetite.
Brain Mechanisms of Thirst and Salt Appetite.
Mechanisms of Satiety.

13. Ingestive Behavior: Eating.
Some Facts about Metabolism.
What Starts a Meal?
What Stops a Meal?
Brain Mechanisms.
Eating Disorders.

14. Learning and Memory: Basic Mechanisms.
The Nature of Learning.
Learning and Synaptic Plasticity.
Perceptual Learning.
Classical Conditioning.
Instrumental Conditioning and Motor Learning.

15. Relational Learning and Amnesia.
Human Anterograde Amnesia.
Relational Learning in Laboratory Animals.

16. Human Communication.
Speech Production and Comprehension: Brain Mechanisms.
Disorders of Reading and Writing.

17. Schizophrenia and the Affective Disorders.
Schizophrenia.
Major Affective Disorders.

18. Anxiety Disorders, Autistic Disorder, and Stress Disorders.
Anxiety Disorders.
Autistic Disorder.
Stress Disorders.

19. Drug Abuse.
Common Features of Addiction.
Commonly Abused Drugs.
Heredity and Drug Abuse.
Therapy for Drug Abuse.

Editorial Reviews

New edition of a text in which Carlson (U. of Massachusetts) discusses the physiology of behavior and includes some of the advances made in research, i.e. targeted mutations against an enormous variety of genes, insertion of genes that put fluorescent dyes on protein products, single-photon scanning laser microscopy, and others. The 19 chapters cover introductory material; structure and functions of cells of the nervous system; structure of the nervous system; psychopharmacology; methods and strategies of research; vision; control of movement; sleep and biological rhythms; audition, and the body and chemical senses; reproductive and ingestive behavior, learning and memory, relational learning and amnesia, human communication, schizophrenia and the affective disorders; anxiety, autistic, and stress disorders; and drug abuse. Contains some color illustrations. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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